Improvement in fire-escapes



2 Swheets--Sheet1.

1.1. HARTMAN.

Improvement in Fire-Escapes.

Patented July 16,1872.

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scale 2 Sheets--Sheet 2. J.v J. HARTMAN.

Improvement in Fire-Escapes.

No. 129,336. PatentedJuly16,1872.

J4 thinl- Mu:- enkov UNITED STATES JOHN J. HARTMAN, OF ST. LOUIS,MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN FlRE-ESCAPES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,336, dated July 16,1872.

Specification describing a certain Improved Fire-Escape Apparatus,invented by JOHN J.

HARTMAN, of the city and county of St. Louis and State of Missouri.

The first part of my invention relates to the manner of supporting andof raising the ladder, which is swiveled upon a compound derrick, whoselegs are pivoted to the front and rear bolsters, and the bolsters areconnected by a reach which slides through the same. The rear bolster isdrawn toward the front one by ropes passing around a Windlass in thefront bolster; said windlass also carrying a rope, which extends outthrough the front of the bolster, and may be attached to a hook upon thedouble-tree, so that when the hammerpin is drawn out and the horsesdriven forward the rear wheels and bolster will be drawn toward thefront bolster and the derrick and ladder raised. The second part of myinvention relates to the construction of the Windlass by which theladder is extended and the basket raised and lowered. This Windlass hasa central portion carrying the rope on which the basket is suspended,and upon the same shaft are two sleeves carrying the ropes by which theextensional member of the ladder is operated. These sleeves areconnectable by pins to disks upon the winch-shaft, and may bedisconnected therefrom by removal of the pins so as to allowtheindependent raising and lowering of the basket.

Figure l is an elevation of the apparatus when in condition for service.Fig. 2 is a side elevation when arranged for travel. Fig. 3 is a topview. Fig. 4 is an axial section of the hoisting-Windlass. Fig. 5 is adiagram, showing the operation of the chock bars. Fig. 6 is a top viewof the Windlass for raising the derrick and ladder, the top of the frontbolster being removed to exhibit the same.

A are the front wheels, and A the rear wheels; B,the front axle, and Bthe rear axle. G is the front bolster, and D the rear bolster. The frontbolster has an interior cavity containing a Windlass, E, carrying at itscentral portion a rope, F, which extends through the front of thebolster, and may be connected to the double-tree G, as shown in Fig. 6,when it is desired to draw the rear bolster and wheels toward the frontones, which is done by means of the ropes H, carried upon the WindlassE,

and extending to the rear bolster. I is the reach, passing through bothbolsters and limiting their separation by nuts 2'. The reach slidesfreely in both bolsters except when held by the setscrews J, which arescrewed down when the apparatus is in traveling condition. Upon thereach are sliding collars K held fast upon the reach, when desired, byset-screws k, and to these collars are attached the ends of thesway-chain L, passing at its midlength beneath the saddle lof the swivelM the latter being attached to the center of the reach and having anadjustingscrew, m. N O are the four legs of the derrick, two of which,N, are hinged to the front bolster, and the other two, 0, to the rearbolster, the pivot-pins being shown at n 0. The ends of the legs N O areconnected by a hinge, P, to which is attached the swivel Q, and to theswivel is hinged the cross-bar 1' of the lower section B of the ladder.In the lower section R of the ladder slides an extensional section R, towhose stiles or sides are attached the ends of ropes S, which pass overpulleys s in boxes or brackets s attached to the upper parts of theground section R. The other ends of the ropes S are attached to thesleeves T of the Windlass U at the lower end of the section B. Thesleeves T may turn freely on the winch-shaft of the Windlass, but may,when required, be connected to said shaft by pins 1., which pass throughdisks t on the shaft and into the sleeves. (See Fig. 4.) T are pawls,which engage ratchets on the sleeves to prevent the retrograde rotationof the sleeves and sustain the section B of the ladder. The lower end ofthe section B has foot-spikes 1", which screw into the lower ends of thesides so as to be adjustable to an uneven surface. V is a rope, passingaround the Windlass U and extending over a pulley in a block, 1), andbetween two guidepulleys, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, whereaportion of the side of the ladder is broken away to show the block. Therope V supports a basket, W, preferably of metal, and having two slidingdoors, 'w. The arrangement for guiding the rear wheels is similar tothat already in use, and is operated by a key, X. Y-

are bars, having at one end a fork, 3 which spans the axle when in use,(see Fig. 5,) and the bar carries, near the lower end, a lockchain, Z,which passes around the rim of the fore wheel to prevent the wheelturning, and draw down the end of the bar firmly against the ground,when the rear wheels are drawn forward to raise the ladder.

- the derrick and the ladder. The rope F is then belayed on the cleat 2.The foot of the ladder is then turned around into position and the brace3 applied to prevent any danger of the upsetting of the apparatus beforethe spikes 7' have bearing against the wall of the building. The pins itbeing inserted, connecting the sleeves T to the Windlass U, the saidWindlass is turned and the extensional member It raised up, and when thespikes 1' rest in proper position against the wall of the house the pinst are drawn out, thus disconnecting the sleeves T from the rest of theWindlass U, the pawls T preventing the retrograde rotation of thesleeves.

When the sleeves T are disconnected from the Windlass U the latter maybe applied sole- 1y to the use of the basket W.

The Windlass E,by which the derrick is elevated, may, if desired, beturned by hand in place of being turned by the horses, as described, oneor both ends of the shaft being made angular and accessible from theoutside for the application of a winch.

The apparatus may be moved some distance or adjusted in position withoutlowering the ladder.

In restoring it to its traveling condition, the extension R is firstlowered and the rope F loosened upon the belaying-cleat 2, the weight ofthe ladder expanding the derrick and forcing the bolsters apart. Theladder descends on the spring-bars, and the seat and basket may beplaced upon it and lashed fast, the basket constituting the seat ofeither the driver or the steerer of the rear wheels.

The ropes used are preferably of wire.

Claim.

I claim as my invention- 1. The combination of the swiveled ladder R andderrick N O P hinged to the bolsters O D, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the bolsters O D and derrick N O P hingedthereto, of the sliding reach I, substantially as and for the purposedescribed.

3. The combination of the bolsters O D, derrick N O P, hinged thereto,Windlass E, and ropes F H, arranged and constructed substantially as andfor the purpose described.

4. The combination of the Windlass T T U, pins 15 t with the ladder R R,ropes S V, and basket or other containing-vessel, W, substantially asand for the purpose described.

In testimony of which invention I have here unto set my hand.

JOHN J. HARTMAN.

Witnesses SAML'. KNIGHT, W. A. BRAWNER.

